Save My Fairgrounds group takes to the highways

Save My Fairgrounds, a coalition of people devoted to preserving the Tennessee State Fairgrounds and its various activities, has started putting up billboards around town. The red-and-white signs urge Nashville residents to call their Metro Council members and Mayor Karl Dean, who wants to redevelop the fairgrounds.

Darden Copeland, a spokesman for the group, said it paid about $8,000 to design the billboards and put four of them up for a month. I saw one today on Interstate 40 West near White Bridge Road. Copeland said others have gone up or soon will go up on I-65 North, I-24 and one other location.

He also said fairgrounds supporters don’t plan to “stack the room” when the council holds a work session Saturday morning. Instead, they’ll have a couple of representatives on hand while encouraging others to go door to door this weekend. Public input won’t be allowed at the work session, but the council has scheduled a public hearing later this month.